[DreadBringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

There can be those, but I don't know 'em. I don't recall anyone in this thread tagging Touma with any amount of naivete. He's, especially compared to the last few Riders this series has had, pretty well-centered and observant? Like, I think it's okay for him to be confused as to why two different groups of magical warriors are going to war over superpowered books? That's an okay ask! In general, he's been pretty much unimpeachable in this series when it comes to sophistication, problem-solving, and emotional empathy. He hasn't really been tricked or manipulated, that I've seen.

Yeah, I'm not talking about this thread (I mean obviously Saber or other Kamen Rider talk isn't only centered around this thread). I agree with all you said here about Touma's abilities, which is why I can feel as if, perhaps the abilities of many main Riders can be underappreciated, probably except Tendou, Tsukasa, Shotaro/Philip, Sento, or Ace. And true that he hasn't been tricked or manipulated, it likely just comes from how Touma is openly kind-hearted, and that there's a view that equates kindness with naivety, thus Touma is assumed as naive because he's kind, and him asking why magical warriors going to war over superpowered books likely indicated to those that he's unaware of how cruel world can be (e.g. evil people exist).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

KAMEN RIDER SABER EPISODE 7 - “THE SWORD OF THE KING, LIES IN AVALON”

The best plot here is Rintaro’s step back from the abyss, even if I still managed to have a bunch of problems with it. (Mainly, he just goes in the High Gravity Room to get stronger, then gets strong enough to beat the guy who beat him last episode. It’s not exactly a rollercoaster of a character arc, you guys.) We’ve spent weeks with Rintaro as the stalwart, dependable knight, so seeing him lose his shit and withdraw into a potentially-fatal training regimen, before finding his emotional center just in time to save Mei? That’s playing with our expectations, and challenging our assumptions. It’s just basic drama, but our investment in Rintaro’s previously-established psychological well-being means we can have a rousing finale that feels like a consequence of Rintaro’s struggles. It’s Writing 101, but it’s still effective enough to be considered a success.

I wonder if Rintaro being established as experienced enough makes this work better, compared to stories where the 'chosen one' undergoes that and surpasses the established professional without good reason (Touma so far, gets through because of different mindset and view compared to Rintaro), where here he needs to improve certain aspect of his with already having the tools (his sword fighting), which is him being consumed by rage to Zooous. About Mei being saved here, wonder what'd you think of this other "female lead totally crushing on the secondary" compared to Akiko against Terui. Now Mei has clear romantic feelings for Rintaro based on her being lovestruck like making heart-shaped hand in his fight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

Less successful is this show’s insane approach to its mythology and mega-arc, where clues are generally non-existent, and crucial developments happen concurrently with their introduction. We’d only heard the word Avalon uttered once or twice before this, so every bit of exposition that Touma gives in regards to the forms of entry, challenges they’ll face, and potential prize for victory is difficult to care about. It’s all just random facts, untethered from character motivation, continuity, etc. It’s just PLOT, and plot divorced from character is boring.

This is a part where again, Touma displays his knowledge of the books to solve problems. Unfortunately, it seems that plot part is the part where character's usefulness can be displayed? As there are many complaints regarding characters being "useless" (such as Mei, yeah outside here), while the plot part has the characters actually doing something that matters such as achieving big goals instead of 'fucking' around... other than the SoL cast here, this was also what villains like Lucky Clover in Faiz did compared to the 2 main trios living their life. As plot part is regarded as boring, Sophia seems to be a character mainly revolving around that, I wonder what'd be the opinions of those who really love Saber regarding her. She's a character that is similar to Princess Shayla in Power Rangers T̶i̶m̶e̶ Wild Force... and that can be used as a mockery.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamen Rider Die

So, here's a bit of a tease for Kamen Rider Die rewatches Kamen Rider Geats from 2026 or whatever: I love Geats probably more than Fish Sandwich loves Saber. Thematically, it's the apotheosis of everything Takahashi was trying to talk about in Ex-Aid and Zero-One -- how difficult it can be to work together when some/most success is zero-sum -- but it's also getting into some fascinating stuff about how dreams change as we get older, and the ways our goals inevitably crystalize as we learn more about the world's complexity, and how difficult it is to not give up in the face of societal indifference, and how the people who benefit from the status quo will take your dreams and diminish them while they profit off of them, and and and.

True that Geats is so far seems to be the most well-constructed (subjective ofc) Reiwa series. I half-expected this as it comes from Ex-Aid writer thus it'd share its vibe, but I also half didn't expect this as Geats seems to also have Gaim vibes, comparatively more serious with reduced slapstick/goofy humor (doesn't mean it has no comedy), and focuses on mystery. I may be a mood-ruiner here but as another Geats enjoyer, I still gotta say the possibility of the series falling off can be real despite strong beginning (dunno how far you've gotten though), which happened in the previous one for Revice, which had promising beginning, but fell off hard midway, so still have some caution while enjoying. I̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶k̶n̶o̶w̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶d̶ ̶p̶u̶t̶ ̶T̶a̶k̶a̶h̶a̶s̶h̶i̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶p̶e̶d̶e̶s̶t̶a̶l̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶I̶n̶o̶u̶e̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶b̶o̶t̶h̶ ̶E̶x̶-̶A̶i̶d̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶G̶e̶a̶t̶s̶ ̶e̶n̶j̶o̶y̶e̶r̶,̶ ̶I̶'̶d̶ ̶s̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶n̶k̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶T̶a̶k̶a̶h̶a̶s̶h̶i̶ ̶(̶o̶r̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶o̶n̶e̶'̶s̶)̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶s̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶g̶u̶a̶r̶a̶n̶t̶e̶e̶d̶ ̶h̶y̶p̶e̶/̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶q̶u̶a̶l̶i̶t̶y̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶l̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶r̶t̶c̶o̶m̶i̶n̶g̶s̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶g̶o̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶o̶ ̶w̶h̶i̶c̶h̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶u̶l̶d̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶l̶o̶o̶k̶e̶d̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶h̶i̶m̶ ̶b̶e̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶v̶i̶e̶w̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶e̶n̶d̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶n̶d̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶w̶'̶s̶ ̶r̶u̶l̶e̶s̶ ̶(̶t̶h̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ̶h̶o̶w̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶h̶a̶n̶d̶l̶e̶d̶ ̶Y̶u̶a̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶b̶l̶o̶w̶n̶)̶.̶